


Lost at sea

by totallyKatNep



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Blowing stuff up!, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-21
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-01-02 06:56:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1053823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totallyKatNep/pseuds/totallyKatNep
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The HMS Titan Marauder is lost at sea. Or another world.</p><p>I did want to continue this but grew bored. Sorry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lost at sea.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been wanting to write this for a while. So, here it is.

The sea rolls against the hull. It’s a beautiful day. Clear blue skies and a sun that sits just at its peak for the day. The gulls are overhead, wheeling in the cloudless skies, their shrill cries reaching your ears over the crash waves against your ship. Nothing distracts you from the beauty of the day. Nothing except for the buzz of rotors behind you, then you wake up from your trance.  
And where are your manners.  
John Egbert, Warrant Officer Two aboard the HMS Titan Marauder. You are damn proud to be an Officer aboard one of the biggest ships on the rolling blue, spanning a massive 400 metres from stern to bow, a 60 metre wide beam and a flight deck that is 150 metres wide. This is the biggest ship to steam clear a British port for years. Her cavernous hold contains an array of flying machines ranging from small four man scout choppers, to bigger six to eight man sea rescue helicopters. You know the exact numbers on board, but you’d rather leave that to Jade.  
Your mind wanders from the beauty of the day and the measurements of the Titan to your friends. Jade; Warrant Officer One, spending most of her time down in the hold fussing over every speck of dust on the aircraft. She’s like that, especially when Dave is around. Dave is the ship’s Ace Pilot and in charge of keeping the other pilots and aircrew in check. You think of them together. You know that Dave has a thing for Jade, you also know that Jade is at her fussiest when he’s around. When he is returning from a sortie, she is always there. You spend a few seconds realising that your twin sister had a crush on your best friend. They are always so flirtatious towards each other.  
Fortunately for you, you have Ros- Commander Lalonde to keep them focused. She is a ruthless commander when it comes to tactics. No wonder she is in command of the air arm, keeping control over everything to do with the air operations on this ship. However, in the presence of you as friends, and not ranked, she is kind a mother to her child, even though you are the same age. She has a thing when it comes to words. You can talk to her about anything and have not a single worry that anyone will ever hear what you said.  
You take a moment to revel in your friendship with one of the most respected people aboard this almighty ship. When it comes to rank, you are the lowest of your friends. But that does not strip you of your optimism. You know this is the reason that most of the crew under you like you so much as a leader because you never show doubt, even when doubt is normally found. You’ve been through hell with this ship and out the other side with mere scratches. But only because she has the most dedicated service men and women to ever leave the navy camps.   
Your thoughts are interrupted by a pop beside you. You turn to look. It’s a cerulean blue ball. It’s perfectly unmarked surface is smooth in your hand. You had feared it was a bomb but immediately dropped that thought because it was too light for that. You hear a noise like nails on a chalk board and spin in around in your hands to see scratches appearing on its unmarked surface.  
Break me.  
What?  
Smash me against the deck.  
Why?  
Ahwooga! Fuck! That’s the klaxon. Not just any klaxon. The one that means battle stations! You spin your head around and scan the horizon. Nothing. Why is this happening? There mustn’t be a ship for kilometres around. You suddenly feel something in the pit of your stomach. You look up.  
Dear fucking gog! What on Earth is that? A meteor? You look back at the ball.  
SMASH ME!  
What will happen if I do?  
FUCKING SMASH ME ALREADY!  
Ok it’s swearing now. It must be serious.  
You lift it above your head and bring it down hard against the deck.  
It shatters spilling its blue substance onto the deck. You wait, hoping the meteor will disappear.  
Light from the under the sea. No the sea is shining. It is shifting colours faster than the eye can register. Registering only as a flashing mix of colours that mix and swirl and- everything gets so bright that even with your sun visor you have to bring a hand up to shield your eyes. Then it’s quiet.  
You look around. Nothing has changed. There is still water all around you. No land as far as the eye can see.  
The sea gulls are gone however. They were there a few seconds ago. What the fuck happened?  
A hand on your shoulder makes you jump.  
‘Eep!’ You jump like foot high.  
‘Jesus John.’ You get swiftly to your feet and turn raising a hand is salute to your superior.  
‘No need for formalities towards your own twin sister’ you drop your arm and she pulls you into a tight embrace ‘John I thought we’d had it.’  
You separate. And look deep into her bright green eyes. Yours are blue, bright sky blue.  
‘Jade for all it’s worth we weren’t going to get wiped by that meteor.’  
‘Your optimism is present even in the face of death.’  
‘Yeah…’ Distracted you look beyond her and see Dave and Ros- Commander Lalonde striding (haha) purposefully towards you. When they reach you, you and Jade immediately turn and salute.  
‘At ease you two’ she instructs before giving you each a warm embrace ‘as you are probably aware, we have seen you Egbert, and know that what happened was perfectly coordinated with the blue ball you had’ spoken like a true commander ‘I want to know what it was.’  
‘I have no gog damn idea Lalonde.’  
‘Knew you wouldn’t. Well we have all assumed that what you did, whatever you did, got us out of trouble with the meteor. We don’t owe you anymore respect but we would like to speak to you about its description. John it’s nothing to worry about, it’s only the Admiral.’ Great, the Admiral. He isn’t as gifted as Lalonde with words and you should know. He was promoting you and he sounding like he was grinding bones with a sledgehammer. Not pretty.  
You hold yourself up with your optimism and try not to trudge to the bridge.  
You feel like your head is going to burst in rage. What did it look like? (Insert description here). Do you know this? No sir. Do you know that? No sir. Why did this happen? I don’t know sir. It feels like an hour that you stood there, in front of the Admiral’s desk, answering his questions, before you’re finally dismissed.  
‘John? JOHN?’ It’s Jade. You’re blanking her. She had been talking, but now she is just shaking you.  
‘Huh? Err, what, sorry.’  
‘John I was goi-‘ she is cut off by the sound of the intercom blaring.  
‘Warrant Officer Egbert to the bridge now! That means both of you!’  
‘We are needed, John. Let’s not disappoint.’ You spend the next five minutes getting there from where you had been talking. When you come up onto the deck, you find yourself standing face to face with Lalonde. You both salute and she ushers you in. Taking you round to her room.  
‘We have a situation…’


	2. First Contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Radar contact, visual contact, enemy fire incoming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bloody Psychics...

‘And you say they don’t respond to hails?’  
‘Yes Admiral.’  
‘Well Lalonde, I suggest you get some birds up there to have a look.’  
‘I’ll have WO Egbert and WO Egbert get some scouts loaded and on deck ASAP sir.’  
‘That you will, Commander Lalonde. Dismissed.’  
You have just been ordered by Commander Lalonde to help your sister get some White Horses on deck. White Horses are the names given to the scout helicopters. Soon enough the three helicopters are on deck and cleared for immediate take off. Dave strolls over to his helicopter and slides into the pilot seat. One of your Leading Hands clears him for up and away and the helicopter roars to full RPM and rises, not slowly, of the deck before pivoting and heading the direction of the radar contact.  
‘I don’t see anything yet.’ Dave calls over the intercom.  
‘Nope, me neither.’ A fellow pilot agrees.  
‘Keep searching Strider.’ His older sister orders, obviously under stress. Without argument he brings the chopper to a better height and looks out across the deep blue.  
‘Hold on, I think I got it.’  
‘Where?’ Dave asks his fellow pilot.  
‘Well if my compass has corrected itself then north of our position.’  
‘Roger that. Turning.’ Dave relays the sighting back to command.  
‘There! I see it! It’s a… pirate ship?’ Dave chokes back a laugh. You heard it in his voice.  
‘Repeat your sighting. You say it is a pirate ship, correct?’ Lalonde is sweating bullets.  
‘Yes Ma’am, a definite pirate ship. Going in closer. No anti-air weapons to speak of.’ Dave dips the nose and they head in a straight line that, to most modern ship captains, is not aggressive.  
They obviously don’t know that this isn’t aggressive. A blue, red or purple beam sews from the ship a beam that could be seen from the carrier. It turns the nearest helicopter in a spiralling mass of twisted metal and wire. Everyone atop the ship could see what happened and hope to hell that the poor pilots didn’t suffer to long.  
‘What the fuck! Where the hell did that come from?!’ Dave practically shrieks into the mic.  
‘Abort! Abort! Return to safe distance’ Lalonde just started sweating cannon munitions ‘Dave, get your arses out of there!’  
Another beam strikes forward and barely misses Dave’s helicopter.  
‘It came from a figure aboard the ship’ one pilot says ‘Humanoid and grey!’  
‘What?’ Lalonde is trying to keep her cool right now but;  
‘Another beam! Evasive manoeuvres, don’t give him an easy shot!’ Dave commands, his chilled façade torn away by the beams ejected into the sky from the figure on the ship.  
Beams continue to strike out at the helicopters from the ship. You know Dave is swearing his butt off and Jade is yelling at her ratings to go get the tools ready for immediate and serious repairs. The choppers wheel and yaw in the sky trying to be unpredictable so to throw off the aim of the guy.  
They are able to break their engagement and begin to weave back the ship chased by many beams. Another chopper takes a glancing hit and the tail evaporates into an explosion. Gasps are heard all along the deck. The pilots are clearly seen and relieved sighs fill the silence left by the gasps. They splash down and inflate PFDs. The ship brings their port side to bear and you see hatches open along the side.  
The deep booms of gunpowder in the cannons sends 32 pounds of solid iron flying towards the Titan. The crew ran for cover.  
The balls gouged deep gashes along the deck and magnificent dents along the hull. With each hit of iron on steel the ship rang and hummed with the impact. The klaxons were blaring and choppers were trying to land but the fire was too hot. What are we going to do? Dave’s chopper is swaying this way and that, avoiding anything thrown his way.  
‘Dave, do you have the loud hailer installation?’  
‘Hell I do!’ His co-pilot, I nice guy in his late twenties, presses a few buttons and confirms its readiness.  
‘It’s on. Say what you want Lalonde.’ Dave says through gritted teeth.  
‘This is Commander Lalonde of the HMS Titan Marauder and request an immediate cease fire. We are not a threat. We are quite happy to ignore you but we request with urgency that you cease fire.’ Her levelled tone must have taken quite some doing considering her state of sweating rockets.  
It isn’t sudden but the beams and cannons cease firing from the ship. And a figure can be seen holding a horn like sea shell. It is almost loud enough to be heard from the Titan.  
‘Humans? Yes, humans. I am Maid Megido of the FAV Spinner. We are of a race called Alternians. We accept your request of a cease fire. However, in turn we want to you to send over the human responsible for the arrival of you here. He should have had a small blue ball. Don’t comply and we shall rethink complying with yours.’  
They wanted to see you. They asked for you in person. Two armed Marines with very stern faces bustle up to you.  
‘Warrant Officer Egbert, you are to come with us.’ The taller one says.  
‘Okay,’ you say uneasily ‘where to?’  
‘Admirals office.’ They proceed to march you up the deck to door into the bridge building. Upon stepping inside, you swiftly taken to Admiral English’s office.  
‘Sit down son,’ He says when you enter. You take the seat in front of him. ‘you know why you’re here. You were just summoned, by that Megido person, to go over there and ‘talk’. We have no idea what they could want but, in the interests of the lives aboard our ship, we are sending you over. Dave will fly a scout over and you will rappel down. Got it?’  
‘Yes sir.’ You reply.  
‘Dismissed. You better get it right Egbert.’  
‘Sir yes sir.’ You are whisked away and get only a concerned look from Commander Lalonde before you are out the bridge door and marched to the waiting helicopter. You strap yourself on and sit on the edge of the helicopters passenger bay.  
The helicopter leaves the deck and begins its journey towards the ship. Your heart is in your mouth and head isn’t working properly. You are going to be the first person to speak with sentient people who aren’t human.  
God you’re scared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep nearby for more soon. Regular updates as always. - totallyKatNep


	3. Trolls have such history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read a sentence that is encased like exampled: *'Lalala'* it means that dialect is Alternian. Don't question just enjoy.

The wind buffets your face. The sea rolls beneath the chopper’s landing struts. You look at your hands, powerful and experienced, and see them shaking the hand of an ‘alien’ for the first time in human history. But we’re not allowed to call them aliens; we are to call them ‘Alternians’ for that is the name heard over the speaker.  
You’re jinked out of your thoughts for a very important reason; the chopper is hovering above the deck and grey forms look up at you. You slide your hands to you line and crouch briefly in the doorway before hopping out and rappelling down.  
The deck gets closer, as do the figures.  
Your feet hit wood.  
Your rappel line waits to be detached before the chopper can leave.  
‘You’re on your own buddy.’ Dave says before turning and heading back to the recovering HMS Titan Marauder. You exhale and turn.  
They stand before you; all different heights.   
‘Greetings,’ an Alternian says stepping forward. ‘My name is Maid Megido. I am the only human speaking Alternian aboard our ship. If you don’t mind our race is only called Alternians when we are true to the code and empire’s rules. We are trolls.’  
‘Trolls, okay. So, um, what did you request me for?’ You stutter a lot because it’s not easy speaking to ‘trolls’.  
‘We wish to speak with you. Your arrival here was most unexpected but welcomed. We are in the middle of being rebellious towards our Empress and over throwing her.’  
‘Isn’t it risky to be telling your intentions to a stranger?’ You think this is a reasonable question. A troll with odd glasses leans over to Megido and says something in an unfathomable language.  
‘My crew mate is right, we shouldn’t be telling you. But because we wish to gain your help, we will talk you through everything to know about our people. Please follow me.’ She beckons to a troll in a black coat with blue trim and a rather swanky pirate captain hat on. They have a heated conversation in the language that makes no sense to you or anyone except them.  
The troll captain sighs and waves a hand and Megido leads you inside. Once through the door you realise that they haven’t backed down on comfort. Well if by comfort you mean bare walls and floors that look like they haven’t been cleaned in years.  
You reach a door and are told to enter in a much sterner voice than you were expecting.  
‘What do you want to know?’ She asks you.  
‘Um, start from the beginning if you please.’ You manage.  
‘Well I guess I could…’ She begins.  
You are taught everything your brain can handle. She starts by explaining the blood caste system; maroon, her, being the lowest, while the highest is fuchsia. Feferi was the ‘highbloods’ name. The colours of the hemeospectrum were, from lowest to highest: maroon, orange, yellow, olive, jade, teal, cerulean, indigo, purple, violet and fuchsia. There was one exception; Karkat. He was a mutant. His human red blood did not feature on the hemeospectrum. She said that there was another colour but it was mutated out. The colour was lime. It was between yellow and olive.  
You are then taught about the Empress and her rule of tyranny that saw the adults taken from the planet and only children or grubs were allowed on the planet. They are raised by lusii. A bit like your mother or father but come in many forms. She saw that the hemeospectrum stood and lived on. It was brutal as it was efficient. She used the Mother Grub to fuel her armies with loyal trolls that knew no better.  
There had been two rebellions but both were crushed. One was led by the mutant known as the Signless. The Signless used political tactics winning the hearts of trolls across Alternia. He preached about a world with no hemeospectral discrimination and a place of prosperity and justice to all bloods alike. However there were those who disagreed. He was confronted and captured and strung from white hot shackles in the sign known to humans as Cancer. His anger burned hotter than the shackles and he swore that a warrior of his blood would rise after him and finish what he started. It was for this reason that the ages were separated.  
No troll challenged the Condense but there came a time when the knight was found in the brooding caverns of the Mother Grub. He followed in his ancestors footsteps and was taught the preaching of the Signless by a rogue jade blood. He was captured upon the battlefield along with his posy and sentenced to shackling and suffering. For days, he was shackled to the exact spot where the Signless had been shackled. He suffered for everything he was taught and pledged, like his ancestor, that another would follow until the tyrant was overthrown.  
And then, there was Karkat. No one knew what to call him except ‘Shouty’. Apparently he was good at that.  
And what has this to do with anything happening in the present, you ask. Well shut up and listen, was the reply.  
This is the ship that Karkat escaped to. His posy contained the same bloods as all his ancestors and more. He was well equipped for the fight.  
Then the HMS Titan Marauder arrived. Vriska had wanted backup and was willing to try anything to get another powerful ship beside her. She had told no one of this plan so all the others were not expecting a ship to just appear. But if he wanted to know more about matesprits then he should go ask Karkat but she recommended that he didn’t.  
You are told numerous other things that weren’t quite important. Until they told he was to stay aboard their ship to act as a representative. He wasn’t allowed out of that. You personally agreed but it was his Admiral that disagreed because you are a well-known and all-round good dude but the trolls persisted and Admiral English made the hardest decision ever, he had to choose between losing his best Warrant Officer or get blown out of the water. He left you on the ship.  
You are standing on the deck gazing at your ship with certain sadness in your heart. To be away from her was hard but to be separated from her but still be able to see was torture. You would endure. You are John freaking Egbert and you can put up with this shit.  
*’Hey there’* a voice says behind you *’you must be John.’*  
They are speaking in that language that you can’t understand.  
*’You don’t speak Alternian do you?’* She asked. She looks like the one that Aradia told you was Nepeta. She was the sociable one and was loyal to Karkat as a dog to his master. Something told you it was deeper than that because she looks at him with something more than admiration; love perhaps?  
*’John? Can you teach me English?’* You recognise one word in her sentence. She said something something ‘English’. What was that supposed to mean anyway?  
‘She wants you to teach her English.’ Aradia said behind him.  
‘I would love to help but I don’t think I could teach her English.’  
‘Yes you could. I was taught by a human aboard your ship’ You stare blankly at her ‘I paused time and learnt it because I knew it would be helpful.’  
‘If I may ask, who taught you English?’  
‘Her name was Jade. She seemed pretty nice.’  
‘Huh? My sister? Oh okay. Well I guess she would tell me to say yes so, tell Nepeta that I’ll teach her English.’  
*’Nepeta, John will teach you English.’* Nepeta beamed and looks at you with starry eyes.  
*’Thank you so much John!’* She hugs your waist because she only coms up to your heart.  
‘You’re welcome.’ You say.  
You hear a scream and the crash of something on deck. You were so lost in thought that something has turned out to be attacking you.  
Something tall, red and spikey.  
*’No…’* Is all Nepeta manages.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It gets real... stay tuned for more - totallyKatNep


	4. Jets, Dave and drones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun writing this. Please laugh as I much as I did.

The tall, red things raise their arms and missiles streak towards you. You sigh not wanting to die aboard a strange ship but when they are stopped by nothing and quickly exploded you let out a huge sigh.  
But you tense again when more streak from their outstretched arms. The first one explodes in a flash of blue and red. Sollux, you think that’s him, is doing what he did to your guys; blowing them up.  
He keeps this up but everyone turns when a loud a powerful roar erupts from the Titan.  
*’What is that?’* Someone shouts.  
The Atlantis class jet let’s off a volley of rockets from its rocket pods. The closet thing tries to move but the rockets are too fast. Its body blows and although not torn apart like they did under Sollux’s beams but it clear that it would not be getting back up again.  
That was why they were known as Atlantis class. They sank everything to Atlantis. No exceptions.  
He knew Dave was piloting when it performed a nifty wing flick and soared upwards before he turns the nose down and starts spewing steel and brass on to the heads of the things. More jets were joining him in the skies, no one showing fear of the things and no mercy for them either.  
‘They are Imperial Drones.’ Aradia shouted over the noise of Dave and his pilots’ jets.  
‘What?’ You yell back.  
‘Imperial Drones. They are like the Condense’s tanks.’ She explained.  
‘I see. Well Dave and his buddies are making short work of them, so we shouldn’t need to worry.’  
‘Yes. It appears your flying machines possess a great deal of strength. Tell me, how many do you have?’  
‘We have fifteen.’ You say. It’s easy for you to do because you counted them all the time.  
‘I only see five up there. Where are the others?’  
‘On our ship.’ You explain how carriers work. You feel it necessary to give them this information.  
Amid the destruction and whizzing jets, a scout chopper makes its way towards you. Aboard this chopper is god knows who and you have no idea what they want to do but here they come.  
The chopper turns so it facing parallel to this ship and you can make out a figure in the passenger bay. You look closer and find out it is Jade.  
‘John! Get over here!’ You sprint over and stand facing her.  
‘Yes sis?’ You ask.  
‘Take this. It’s an earpiece; you can communicate with the Titan with this. We want to know you’re safe. Also so we can communicate with the Alternians. Got it?’  
‘Yes sis! And look after that ship! If there is so much as a scratch on it, I will personally lock you in the brig.’ You joke.  
‘Yeah yeah. Now we got to scramble because we will never be able to land when the jets are.’ She motions to the pilots and the chopper steers away.  
‘Take care Jade!’ You call after her. She doesn’t hear you but it’s the thought that counts.  
You turn the earpiece over in your hands. It isn’t completely inconspicuous but when you put it in your ear you can hear all the chatter from the jet pilots. They seem completely in control up there.  
The drones are too slow and sluggish on their rocket packs for them to make any more than swipes at the jets as they pass covering the drones in steel and explosives. John follows them with his head as they take it in turns to strafe the drones and return for resupply. You think how hard Jade’s men are working now.  
The trolls aboard the ship are staring bemused as the feared ‘culling drones’ are decimated by the human’s flying machines.  
When the last drone is sinking, the jet you know Dave is piloting does a victory roll before turning and starting landing procedure and you know Dave was just showing off now. His pilots follow suit, each performing their own victory roll and return in order of launch.  
Your earpiece chirps and Rose’s voice fills your left ear;  
‘John, what is the Alternians reaction to this?’ You think about making a snarky comment but Rose would have your guts for breakfast the next morning if you did.  
‘Bemusement, I think. They probably weren’t prepared to watch the ‘dreaded culling drones’ get taken down by four jets and Dave.’  
‘Hey dude, you better not be being rude.’ Dave says, interrupting.  
‘Wing Commander Strider, what have we said about rapping on duty?’  
‘Sorry sis, but rapping is pure bliss.’  
‘No rapping on duty!’ Rose practically yelled over the comms.  
You take a moment to laugh. Dave is such an bro but he knows that Rose wouldn’t hesitate to punch him in the face.  
‘Right where were we? John, can you tell them that we will help them defend from these drones if they attack again. We have enough supplies here to sink a few armadas but don’t tell them that.’  
‘Right, okay. Anything else?’  
‘Take care of yourself John.’ Rose says in a surprisingly soft voice for her.  
‘You know sis, rapping might be bliss, but you might want to think, about not getting your kink, on for John, otherwise I’ll think you’re long gone.’ Dave tunefully rapped.  
‘THAT’S IT DAVE!’ The comms go dead and you know Rose is going on a Dave hunt so she can personally kill him tenfold. You laugh when you think about it and Aradia asks you why you are laughing but you’re laughing so hard you can’t answer.  
‘Don’t worry.’ You manage between hiccups.  
You wish they would understand because they are giving you the strangest looks. You notices and drag you hiccupping self over to a wall and lean against it. You are alone until you aren’t. A troll you can tell is the captain walks over.  
*’You. Yes you human John. I need to talk to you.’  
You stare blankly at her. You really need to learn Alternian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not that mean to beg but I really want to know what you think. I am open to all criticism so by all means point out where I can make changes. - totallyKatNep


	5. Confessions of a cat girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter seems out of place now but, maybe it will become relevant later on. Read and find out.

‘I, erm, don’t speak Alternian.’ You stutter.  
*’What? You don’t speak Alternian,’* She looked like she was going to laugh *’ But I don’t speak English so we’re even.’*  
‘Whatever…’ You manage.  
*’I’ll get you to speak to Aradia about learning Alternian.’*  
‘What?’ You ask because it seemed like she was trying to get you to do something.  
*’Go speak to Aradia.’* She points at the maroon blood and storms off in a huff.  
You pick yourself up and remind yourself to breath. You walk cautiously over to Aradia.  
‘Aradia?’ You ask  
‘Yes John?’ She replies.  
‘I would like to learn Alternian.’ You say.  
‘Well John, I think you may find Alternian a little hard on your vocal chords and on your logical thinking. I suggest the person you want to talk to learns English.’  
‘Um…’ Is all you can manage.  
‘Who is the person you are to converse with?’ She asks with concern.  
‘Your Captain.’ You mutter.  
‘What, Vriska? Oh I can see why you would hesitate. She is not known for her talkativeness.’  
‘Would that be a problem for her to learn English?’  
‘Well all of us here will have to learn it eventually. So maybe I should ask her about learning English.’  
‘Well you do that.’ You dismiss her look as one of concern rather than suspicion because you definitely do not like her. She seems mean and too stern for you. Rose on the other hand… What are you thinking? She is your superior and definitely not a love target.  
You traipse back over to the corner where you came from originally and sit down. You just think. You don’t think about anything specific, just how the day has gone how it has.  
You sat on the deck with the ball, you smashed the ball. You ended up here, on this world. You were shot at by trolls and then they welcomed you aboard. Then the drones came and Dave and his buddies blew them up. Then the captain wanted something but you can’t understand her.  
You have spent so much time thinking that you haven’t noticed the sun starting to dip behind the horizon. Casting its orange rays across the blue sea in a striking contrast that give the moment so much power. You stand up and your joints protest but you ignore them. You walk across the barely inhabited deck to the bow of the ship and gaze out at the setting sun.  
It really is beautiful. You want to freeze this image and keep it forever so you can always see it. The orange ball of super-hot gas throwing beams of light over the two ships bathing each in its glow. The Titan looks so good under this light, the colours reflected by her steel plating.  
You find yourself thinking how lucky you are for being here and not under the sea beneath many tons of rock and water. You consider yourself lucky to have the best friends in the world and of course the best sister ever.  
She joined the Navy with you and stayed with you ever since. You went through basic training together and joined the Titan together. Now you were on an alien planet together. You make a mental note to thank her for always being there for you. She’d probably say the same to you but she had those issues less than you.  
Turning, you look at the lack of activity on the deck. Right now on your ship, you and Jade would have people running around with yourself to make sure everything was buttoned down for the night so as not to risk losing anything.  
Back to the sunset before you miss it. You stand alone on this ship for what seems like an age. The sun is only just poking over the water now, almost unwilling to go under, when a small figure joins you at the bow.  
She just stands there next to you, looking out over the sunset. Nothing romantic of course or you would leave right now.  
*’John? Oh yeah, you can’t understand me. Doesn’t matter it’ll feel good to just get it all out. I love Karkat sooo much and I want to know that he feels the same back but I’m too scared to ask him whether he loves me too and I thought you’d understand but you can’t understand me. I dream about him all the time and I never want these feelings to go but the way he treats me doesn’t say he loves me. More that he doesn’t want to be near me. I don’t want it to be true but he keeps making me think that he doesn’t like me. He keeps pushing me away whenever I have built up my courage and makes lose it all. I know you don’t understand but it feels better to get that out.’*  
You stand bemused as she talked. It sounded heart felt and she seemed so sad about it. With a little sigh that for some reason brings a clenching feeling in your chest, she walks back to wherever she came from. A bit like when a father hears about a boy who broke his daughter’s heart and he feels really bad. You know because your Dad told you what it is like. When you came home after having your heart broken by a girl, he made you a cake and told you that there is plenty more fish in the sea. He’s great like that.  
The sun has been dragged under by the ocean and the light is fading fast like someone turning down the dimmer on the world. You sigh. It’s been a long day, better turn in. You walk rather drowsily toward the door and open the rather stiff door.  
You make your way groggily to your room but stop in front of a door that has sounds coming from it, the whimpering sounds of someone having a bad dream. You risk a peak around the door and sure enough someone was asleep but where you cannot work out. There seems to be little in this room. On one wall there is a grid, another a port hole with a table and two chairs underneath and against another there is a, cocoon?  
Being the curious and helpful person you are, you step into the room and shut the door quietly. You make your way over to the cocoon and a troll lay in a slimy green substance. You recognise her as Nepeta, the one who just spoke to you. You risk poking her shoulder. Nothing happens and she keeps on whimpering and twitching. You call her name to no avail and end up sitting down leaning against the cocoon.  
Why are you here? Oh yeah kind, loving you just took over and made you come in here. And it might also be down the almost fatherly feelings that stir in you when she looks at you. You feel a sort of responsibility towards her because, not ten fifteen minutes ago, she made what seemed like a very heart felt confession with only you there.  
There is scream that make you jump so high that you barely miss banging your head on the ceiling.  
‘Bloody hell!’ You exclaim.  
*’Huh? John? What are you doing here?’*  
There is a most awkward silence as you try to use logic to determine what she said.  
‘I heard you having a bad dream and wanted to help.’ You scratch the back of your neck.  
*’What? Um, John? Can you teach me English?’* She looks at you in a way that seems like a question and hopefulness.  
You beckon her over to the table and she clambers out of the cocoon and sits opposite you. You start by motioning drawing. She smiles as she understands you and passes you a pad of paper and a pencil or some similar tool. You begin to scribble a word; Ship and make a really bad attempt at drawing the ship you are currently on.  
‘Ship.’ You say slowly.  
‘Ship.’ It’s slightly out but you can understand it.  
You draw the ocean and write ‘Ocean’ next to it.  
‘Ocean.’ You say.  
‘Ocean.’ She is definitely getting the hang of pronunciation. You spend the rest of the night teaching her basic English as if she were a child, which, to be honest, she was.  
By the high moon she knows how to say small sentences and she knows how to get across basic points. As far as translating from her language to yours, best leave that to Aradia. By dawn she knows how to tell about more complicated matters. When you have taught her about personal things like feelings, you bring up the subject of what happened at sunset. She looks at you strangely.  
‘John, I love Karkat.’ She says going a light shade of olive.  
‘I know, I guessed. Do you want to tell him?’ She looks shocked but changes to embarrassment.  
‘I don’t know. I do but I don’t,’ She looks back at you ‘Will you help me?’  
‘Yes I can. When shall you do it?’ She thinks deeply but is interrupted by a gruff shout comes through from the door.  
*’Nepeta? Are you in there?’* The voice shouts.  
‘It’s Karkat! Crap!’ You didn’t teach her that but you just blurted it out and she insisted she knew what it was. She looks worried and scared. You give her a reassuring smile.  
‘Invite him in.’ You say.  
‘No! He’ll see my *shipping wall*,’ She slipped into her own tongue for two words ‘I’ll go to him.’  
She bounds up and swiftly covers the distance between the table and the door.  
*’Yes Karkat?’* She says  
*’Nepeta, we need to go to see Aradia. Fucking crew meeting.’* He says with a huff. He takes a step back and begins to leave. You begin to fret that Nepeta will miss this opportunity and curse it for the rest of the day. But when she grabs his arm, you let an almost noticeable sigh escape the gap between your lips.  
*’Karkat wait.’* She holds his arm firmly and looks him straight into his eyes.  
*’Karkat, I…’* She stumbles.  
*’Yes?’* He asks anxiously.  
*’I think I’m… flushed… for’* She stops.  
*’You’re flushed for who exactly?’* He asks in the same anxious tone as before.  
*’You, Karkat. I know I’m flushed for you.’* He stares at her, rather harshly but his face softens slightly.  
*’You know fucking what Nepeta?’* He asks.  
*’No…’* she says deflating slightly.  
He leans closer and plants the most gentle of kisses on Nepeta’s lips. Her face lights up and she chirps when he pulls back. She gazes into his blood red eyes.  
*’Come on Nep, let’s go see Aradia.’*  
She glances back at you and you give a double thumbs-up before she leaves with Karkat.  
Feeling the power of the moment leaving you, sleep deprivation kicks in and you long to curl up and sleep for days. In fact, you could do just that right now.  
Picking up your aching limbs from the chair, you drag your tired butt from Nepeta’s room to your own and throw yourself into the waiting embrace of the sheets. Your head hits pillow and your eyelids close. Just as you feel sleep taking you, you feel a touch on your forehead; a hand.  
Weird. Oh well, you’ll think about that when you wake up.  
Sleep takes you finally and the hand leaves not a moment after.  
For now, you sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up... More -totallyKatNep


	6. Raise the sails, we are off to war.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this has been so long coming. Christmas break and all. Enjoy it, it's a bit tamer than the others but needs to be read.

You wake with a start, crud that was a weird dream. You could have sworn it lasted for ages.  
You stretch out on the bed and yawn loudly. Swiping the covers off of you, you swing your feet over the side and rub your eyes. You look around and AH!  
Oh yeah. You’re on that troll ship. Silly you to forget that but it feels like ages since you woke up. How long has it actually been? You’re not sure.  
Standing you feel your strong refreshed legs take the weight easily, you make your way to the door. When you open up, you find yourself looking at the captain. She scowls and stalks off without a word. You’re rather concerned for her but when you see Karkat giving Nepeta a piggy-back up the hall towards the deck; you smile broadly and follow them.  
The door is swung open and you prepared your eyes for the blinding light of the morning but you are met by the last tendrils of sunset.  
‘We are not sun friendly people.’ The voice catches you off guard and you stumble into Nepeta and Karkat sending them tumbling.  
*’Watch were you’re going fucktard!’* Karkat shouts. Nepeta is rolling on the floor laughing and Karkat’s face softens and he picks himself up and dusts himself off.  
*’Come on Nep. Let’s go watch the moon rise.’* Karkat says carefully.  
*’Of course Karkitty!’* She turns to you briefly ‘Bye John.’  
‘Bye Nepeta.’ You say cheerfully.  
The fatherly feeling is kicking in again. You have come to rather like it. It makes you feel responsible for someone in a more personal way, rather than the way you normally are. You sigh and turn on your heel. You spin right into the face of Vriska.  
*’Get out my face!’* She shouts at you when you bonk heads.  
‘I’m sorry.’ You mutter.  
She gives you a stern look and she looks like she wants to hit you in the face but instead her expression changes, softens, and she walks off; leaving you confused. What did she want? You’ll work it later.  
You walk onto the deck to a darkening sky. Everyone is busy. It’s like being back on the Titan during a mission. You see Nepeta and Karkat looking out over the port railing. You follow their gaze and wow… Is that the moon? That is amazing. It’s greener than the Admirals mug for his tea but the one silhouetted behind it looks to be grey, kind of like the Admirals earl grey. You laugh heartily recalling him in his ‘mighty English’ dress uniform on the officers’ party, that you were so honourably able to attend, and how Rose invited you to go with her. Good days…  
Your attention is drawn away from the spectacular moons to your ship, all lit up under the deck lights, and you think of your friends and crew. Are they asleep or busy at work on the night shift, you can’t tell from here.  
‘John?’ Someone is calling your name. You swing your head over to where Nepeta and Karkat are standing over the railing, ‘John?’  
‘Yes?’ Better not be rude and answer, don’t want Karkat going off on one.  
‘Your ship looks so cute from here.’ The Titan? Cute? You’ve heard her called ‘mighty’ and ‘powerful’ and a whole dictionary of others but cute? Never have you heard anyone call the Titan cute before.  
‘Why would you say that?’ You ask rather sternly and you watch as Nepeta’s face falls and Karkat move defensively between you and her.  
*’Don’t upset her.’* He almost growls.  
*’Karkat, it’s fine, he won’t hurt me.’* Nepeta steps round him, ‘It look like something from my memories, something I can’t explain,’ well that brings the mood down ‘but it looks so adorable!’ Nepeta brightens the mood again. You have heard it called that before however. That was from Roxy, one of the deck hands you command, she has a way with descriptions and her drinking. Note to self, from when you first went out to the bar for a drink as a crew; never give her too much alcohol.  
When your eyes de-glaze, Nepeta has turned back to the moons with Karkat. What could you be up to now? Everyone seems to be doing something and you’re standing here like a lemon. They appear to be raising the sails. But you’ve never had any training on how to put up sails, only start engines.  
Your ear piece chirps; ‘John? Are you awake?’ It appears Lalonde wants to speak to you.  
‘Yes Commander.’ You’re on duty, better do this respectively.  
‘What is happening over there? We can make out movement but no specifics.’  
‘They are raising the sails I believe.’  
‘So they are going somewhere?’  
‘Yes but where to I have no idea.’  
‘Right then. You better ask someone where you are going. We don’t want to be following them somewhere dangerous without preparation.’ Oh dear, somewhere dangerous. You don’t want to in a combat situation on an unfamiliar ship.  
‘I’ll ask someone and report in a moment.’  
‘Lalonde out.’ The link is cut off and you stand still for a moment before making your way over to where Aradia stands with the captain.  
‘Um, Aradia?’ you ask rather unsure of yourself around the captain. You’ll admit you are afraid she will tear your head off.  
*’Ha! It’s the John human!’ the captain says in the, still unfathomable, language of ‘Alternian’.  
‘Yes John?’ Aradia says more politely.  
‘Where are we going?’ You ask timidly, like it might be a sore subject.  
‘Well John, glad you asked.’ She says smiling.  
‘Why?’  
‘We need your ships help because as we have been shown the strength of your flying machines, we have decided that letting this alliance go to waste would be admitting defeat,’ she turns to the captain *’Shall we tell him where we are going or tell him to tell his ship to just follow?’*  
*’Hmm, tell him.’*  
*’Okay,’* she turns back to you ‘John we are going to the land, more specifically, to a watch beacon not far from here. They must have been the ones who detected us in the first place, and, to stop them launching anymore drones against us, we are going to take them out.’ Lalonde was right. They were going somewhere dangerous. Very dangerous by the way the rest of the crew look terrified.  
But hasten they do to complete the task of getting the sails up. You told Lalonde what was happening and they are prepping for a major offensive and Jade is probably working her butt off in your absence.  
Soon the trolls’ ship’s sails fill with the early night breeze and the ship slides into motion. Not far behind, the four rotors at the stern of the Titan spin up and the massive ship steams along at a matching speed.  
Even from here, you can see the jets being lined up ready for launch and the first two are already on the runway. You think you can make out the little figures running about the deck going about the task given to them.  
You look to the direction the ship is heading and a dread builds up in your gut. This could be a long night.


	7. Blood soaked sands.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> War is brutal and fierce.

‘Turn the lights out! They’ll see us coming!’ Aradia shouts.  
‘Lalonde, are deck preps done?’  
‘Yes John, why?’ She says rather confused.  
‘You need to turn the lights out.’ You say matter-of-factly.  
‘Ah, I see. That will stop them from seeing us coming. Good thinking.’ She exclaims. There is a pause and the deck lights switch off one by one.  
‘They will never see us coming. We will, however, need to turn them back on in order for us to launch jets.’ You relay the information to Aradia and from Aradia to Lalonde as they build the tactics against the tower.  
What seems like an hour later, a red spire looms above you. It is as imposing as it is spikey. The pirate ship turn port side on and lights up with the cannon fire. The deafening sounds are the signal for the Titan which springs to life the second the deck lights are up. Jets rocket of the deck. Cannon balls fly at the tower, slamming into the structure and weakening it massively.  
Before long there are enough drones in the sky to outnumber the jets two to one. Not that is any problem for Dave and his pilots.  
Rockets leave fiery trails behind them as the spin into targets. Bullets ping around hindering the drones as they fight for air superiority against stacking odds. The trolls aren’t standing around uselessly, Sollux and Aradia are helping the jets ruin the drones by frying them, crushing them or holding them still for the jets to shred with steel.  
There is a call in Alternian as air superiority is gained and the jets numbers split in two as the ones designated for ground assault go in for rearming.  
Now begins the bit you were dreading. The trolls not fighting the air battle leap over the side into the chilly water. You join them because you are trained with a gun so you are to join the ground fight.  
After a chilly swim to shore, you unsling the rifle from your back and slide it out of the water proof case. The others do the same and remove their weapons from where they had concealed them. None of them seem to have any ranged weapons apart from the blue blood Equius and that Eridan guy.  
They form up on Karkat as if they practiced it and you join them as they yell and leap into the crowds of swarming trolls. You lose sight of most of them pretty quickly as they fight the outnumbering opponents.  
There is blood. So much blood of all colours soaking the floor and you fear yours will be joining it. But you still have ammo in your gun and fire in your heart. For it seems that with every scratch or bruise you gain you fight that much harder to make up for the mistakes you made to get them.  
The others efforts double with every drop of friendly blood spilt.  
You fire off short burst into the chest of a raging troll. He doubles over and bring the butt of the gun down hard into his temple. He groans and dies, his blood joining his allies soaking the mud and sand.  
You don’t have much time to react because another is upon you and after a few shots to the head and chest, he too joins the fallen.  
You have lost count of how many lives you have laid waste to, but rather them than me you think as you de-eyeball your aggressor with a well-aimed bullet.  
You glance to your allies and see Nepeta slicing away at multiple enemies at once felling them one by one.  
Karkat joins her side and brings down five trolls in quick succession with his sickle before he leaps off to join the teal blooded one with the cane.  
You kill another troll and spring back to narrowly avoid a hammer swipe. You bring the gun up and fire a burst into his head and send him sprawling to his sandy grave.  
You turn to shoot another but your gun clicks empty. Not now. Not now at all. You cast the gun aside and look for a new weapon. The hammer you avoided catches your eye. You like the look of it but you’ve got to get it first. You dive to the side to dodge a sword that might have had your head off.  
You quickly turn to the hand to hand techniques you oh-so-sweet sister and Dave taught you.  
The troll lunges at you and you side step and grab their wrist before turning and pulling over your shoulder where you break it. The sword clatters from their hands and you feel an almighty force fling you forward. You land heavily and the breath leaves you and won’t return. After a few seconds you rise only to punched; hard. Your nose begins to bleed, again and your lip slits in yet another place.  
They pin you to the floor and raise their sword in their good arm. There is a war cry behind you and Vriska flies into the troll and plunges here own sword deep into the enemies’ chest. Their eyes roll back and their body slumps. Vriska kicks the body off her blade and decapitates an incoming troll. There is a familiar roar and a gut wrenching tearing noise as Kanaya joins Vriska fighting off the ones surrounding you.  
You wipe your grimy face and pick the hammer off the floor. It’s heavy but not too much so. You swing it into a troll and watch with the much satisfaction as the blow breaks all the bones it was meant to. It’s a neat hammer.  
You join Vriska and Kanaya and you stand back to back and kill off any and all who oppose you.  
Your friends and allies close in on the tower leaving crushed and dismembered bodies in your wake.  
Everywhere you tread the enemy fear death, for you, have the blood of hundreds on your hands and your hammer is slick with the blood of their once friends. Your face in a bloody bruised mess.  
There is a cry of pain louder than any heard yet. Eridan stands still, his face contorted with pain, violet blood floods from where a sword is embedded in his stomach. Cries go up from the allies and they fall back to encircle the wounded high blood.  
Eridan falls to his knees and grits his teeth and wrenches the sword out from where is pierced his body. He casts the sword aside and falls to the ground.  
No one acts to help him. They are all too busy fighting off those who want to finish him off.  
You act quickly, ‘I need an RC over my location now. We have a man down.’  
‘Okay John. Sending one now. We have complete and utter control over the skies here. It should be with you in a moment.’  
You call out the others, ‘Hold out a little longer! A chopper is coming to pick up Eridan!’ They don’t completely understand but Nepeta gives them the idea.  
You wade into the carnage that this peninsular has become. You swing your hammer and meet flesh and bone smashing all to ruin.  
The wind picks up and the chopper hovers above the allies give it no glance but the fearful Alternians begin to retreat towards the tower, their numbers massively diminished. The allies stand around as the winch man attaches the straps around Eridan’s body and hoists him into the shopper where they will not hesitate to bandage him up and stop the bleeding.  
The allies has a short rest period while the Alternians regroup and try to boost their moral.  
All about the beach head, bodies lay where they fell, cut to ribbons by swords, sickles and claws or smashed to bits by hammers and fists.  
Each ally must bear their share of injuries. Karkat wipes his blood and sweat off his brow and nose, Kanaya tends to her own cuts and bruises. Gamzee just stands there holding his clubs. No one speaks to him. Nepeta tries to help Equius with his wounds but Equius is convincing her that he is alright.  
Vriska helps a very bloody Terezi to stand while Feferi deals with the wounds that are no doubt causing the teal blood severe pain. You rub the fatigue out of your eyes and wipe the blood of your face and hands.  
Finally the defenders retreated it took more than it needed but as the jets role in and carpet bomb the survivors before crippling the tower itself. You can’t help but feel proud that you helped. You made a difference from a new angle.  
Five scout choppers fly in and land. Medics and other personal run over with critical medical supplies. There are mostly superficial wounds, cuts and bruises, but there were a few more critical ones. Terezi was a wreck and the medics worked fast to stem the bleeding that was draining her life away. Equius was so bloodied that he had collapsed. The medics assured me that is was mostly dehydration due to over sweating. Nepeta was helping Karkat walk over to see the medics about his head wound.  
A medic approached and cleaned your cuts before covering them to stop them getting infected. You stayed silent throughout. Once the medics were happy with their work, the choppers that got them here, took you back to the Titan.  
From the moment you stepped onto the deck to the moment you saw your friends again, you never stopped thinking that it was great to be back.  
Everyone revelled in victory and loss. Though the fight had been won, there had been casualties. For the trolls, Terezi, Eridan and Equius might be out for a while. For the Titan, two jets had been shot down; one pilot bailed and was returned with minor burns. Three jets returned with major damage and could be out for days.  
The biggest loss however was of the FAV Spinner. It had been badly damaged by a number of rockets and even though it can barely float, let alone fight, the trolls are determined to repair the damage. Yet even with the help of the Titan’s engineers, it might be weeks before she sails again.  
But we have earned ourselves a well needed respite. No one is wholly happy with the victory, the trolls must suffer the loss of Eridan, Terezi, Equius and their ship. The Titan must suffer the loss of the brave pilot who showed no fear.  
A memorial service is held in his honour. Everyone attends. It is a solemn moment for all but brings with it the determination to not let his death be in vain.  
We will fight on. Till the Empress has fallen, we shall not cease!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forget what I said. I found it so much fun writing this story that I will be sure to finish it before too long. Updates will be slower than normal as I started writing this and I had a writing spree but I will get them none the less. Please leave some comments telling me what you think and ways to improve. Please stay with me and keep reading! -totallyKatNep


End file.
